Getting used to the Universe - How long did it take you?

Given to Fly · #1 11-26-2001, 07:47 PM

I think it would br really cool to have a seven string to play lower riffs and to have a larger range, but I am worried that *will never get used to it. How long it it take you guys to get comfortable with the 7th string?

SalemB · #2 11-26-2001, 08:31 PM

Got mine 6 days ago. I can tell you it takes longer than that :biggrin:

littlegreenman · #3 11-26-2001, 08:52 PM

My first UV felt totally natural the first time I played it, I don't think they take any amount of time to get used to, but then that is just my opinion too!

reguv760 · #4 11-26-2001, 09:31 PM

Technically, it took me a few minutes. That is of course, after days (even months) of adjusting the guitar to my preference i.e. changing strings, intonation, and all the other good stuff.

Reg

CrossingStar · #5 11-26-2001, 10:56 PM

I've never got used to it standing up. I like it sitting down but when I'm with the band I can't play as well on it as a 6 string. In the confusion I look down and see all these strings and don't know where I am!

kennydoe · #6 11-27-2001, 12:36 AM

Different strokes, i guess...

I had only picked up a few 7-strings in my day before i found my UV at the local retailer (i didn't set out to buy a 7 string, it just happened). *I played it for just a few minutes before i decided I liked it. *I played it all that day after i bought it and used it at my gig that same night - all night.

The way i approached it (and I later heard SV say this too) is to just look at it as a regular guitar - just forget the low B - ignore it and just play how and what you always play. *Once you're comfy on the neck, it just sorta comes naturally in the riffs and stuff, since it's a fourth below - like the 4 strings above it. *You can keep your same positions, you can just stay on them longer. *The string spacing is exacatly the same as on the JEMs and RGs too (i had an RG before the UV). *That helps immensely - i dont' know what kind of 6 your'e coming from, but i think that going from Ibanez to Ibanez facilitated the move.

After a few weeks of playing the UV I found playing the 6 to be foreign, much like you're feeling with the 7!

What took the most getting used to was switching back and forth between the two guitars on the fly. *That took much more adjustment than getting used to the 7 string itself. *Now it's fairly effortless - i bring both guitars (JEM and UV)on all my gigs - comes in handy for those string breakin' nights! *I also use the UV on Drop-D songs - i figured out how incorporate the low D into my open D and low C into my open C chords. *They're so massive now!

I do find, however, that if i practice one for an extended period of time, it takes a little bit of extra effort to get used to the other one again.

As far as preference goes, I guess i generally like the JEM better, but definitely not every night. * They're elcetronically twins (just about), but for some reason, i feel like i have more output from the JEM.

hope this helps.
~Kenny

Kevan · #7 11-27-2001, 01:40 AM

What Kenny said.
:biggrin:

It didn't take me long to get used to the 7's. *Then again, I suck, so...

A funny picture would be me standing at the guitars and watching my head flip back and forth between the CST and the ART....trying to decide which one to play tonight. *(not bragging; just offering a good photo op to anyone who wants it)

Take your time and adjust to it at your own pace. *Don't expect to be comfy overnight- it won't happen.

Even JP says he does a few warm-up riffs to make sure he's got his picking in the right place(s). *I know Kenny does some sort of ritual like that at his shows, but it's usually while he's swapping disks on the Korg. *

NOTE: *It does help to have long fingers. *Thankfully, those I have. *Talent and skill are on back-order.

eddie 42 · #8 11-27-2001, 09:38 AM

:frog:

Switching from 6 to 7 and vice-versa is not such a big issue. It only caused me troubles on some licks, when normally you hit the low E between high notes (a certain part of Satch boogie intro, for example) : each time I hit the low B instead !!!

But there's worse : one year ago, I bought a bass ; played it non stop during 4 weeks. You can't imagine how funny it is to come back to your guitar later on : strings feel like elastics, and you get the impression to hold a toy in your hands, with so many strings and frets, and your fingers look like those of a woodman !!! And forget about the slides for a certain amount of time : 3rds become quickly 5th !!!

After one year of 4, 6 and 7 strings changes, I can tell you that I can play the 3 of them in the dark. For those who already drove on the wrong side of the road (for a french : driving in UK :biggrin: ), it's exactly the same. The first time, you've got everything wrong :
- rearview mirror : you always look at the top of your door instead of the center of the windscreen
- safety belts : you look for them in the middle of the car
- handbrake : you think it's in your door
- coming in the car : you realise after seating at the driver's place that there's no fuç£ing stearing wheel on the left side of this car,...
but after 3 or 4 pedestrians and/or dogs killed, everything becomes natural :biggrin:, and you can switch from driving in France to driving on the Big Isle without any problem (if you remember well in which coutry you are : don't drink and drive !!!

(by the way, don't play a 7string if you're already too drunk for a 6, it really doesn't help

)

bammbamm · #9 11-27-2001, 10:14 AM

My only problem that took a few weeks to get used to was my muting technique down for the 7. I feel like I can fly when I switch back to my RG's, the neck seems so small in comparison.
Bamm

7 Dying Trees · #10 11-27-2001, 10:24 AM

Doesn't take long at all. I sort of tuned two guitars (6's) differently to "emulate" a 7 before I got it (one BEADGB , the other EADGBE) so I could practice scales etc on the intervals and be able to look at it as a 6 with a low string, and at the same time a alternatively downtuned 6 with a higher string, and then once I got this did help, but not that much as once it clicks it's not bad and becomes natural. Thew neck is bigger, and you mi sh*t
a couple of strings, but you quickly learn and get used to it.

Now I play my UV most of the time (about 70-80%). No worries about adjusting... Now I have no problem switching, and it's improved my technique as well!

All in all I'd say it took no time at all to play it, and then about a week to 2 months to feel fully comfortable and not have to think about what you are doing.

jem777az · #11 11-27-2001, 11:45 AM

I always had a hard time getting used to 7 strings, that's why I no longer have my Universe or Jcustom 7 string. *Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I have really small hands? *Who knows...........I could never get comfortable, even after a year, I always went back to my Jem. *

trouble311 · #12 11-27-2001, 02:55 PM

I have really large hands, so I guess my adjustment didn't take too long....really, in about two days I was used to it, and I was coming from playing a Les Paul and Telecaster, so go figure....I get my JEM7DBK this week, finally, and it will be interesting to see how that feels in comparison....

adrianfoden · #13 11-27-2001, 05:21 PM

Let me start this by saying that I don't actually own A UV but have played one very recently.

Now then, Playing it goes like this- if you are a reasonably accomplished player and you are used to Jems then you'll translate your playing exceptionally well. Due to the standard interval gap between string six (e) and seven (b) almost all of your previously acquired skills / knowledge will translate well. Continue a scale/run **down* through the next and you'll end up just a bit lower.

Start a standard Scare / run on that string *(anyplace) any you'll end up somewhere you probably weren't quite expecting. And therein lies the beauty of the thing.

Some open chords will sound very different, some will not 'work' at all.

In my experience a UV is relatively simple to get to grips with if you are compfortable with Jem necks.

If you battle to get to grips with the UV I'd suggest that the neck profile of whatever insrtrument you've played in the past is what is causing you issues and not the UV / seven string concept.

Have faith in your abilities as a musicican and free your mind - the potential will open up to you and be a blessing.

- ade

(Edited by adrianfoden at 9:23 pm on Nov. 27, 2001)

jem777az · #14 11-27-2001, 07:22 PM

Quote:

adrianfoden on 7:21 pm on Nov. 27, 2001
If you battle to get to grips with the UV I'd suggest that the neck profile of whatever insrtrument you've played in the past is what is causing you issues and not the UV / seven string concept.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on this one Adrian. *In my case I don't think it had anything to do with the seven string concept. *I loved the fact I had another string to experiment with, I agree the possibilities are endless. *I just plain didn't like the size of the neck

seven7seven · #15 11-27-2001, 08:57 PM

Well for me adjusting to the UV777gr was easy it was my first seven string i have somewhat larger hands than most people, i had also only been playing guitar for 2 years before i got it so maybe i didnt think it was hard to adjust because i wasnt like extremely attached to six strings...any way it took me less than a day....of course a couple weeks later i traded for a uv777bk. I couldnt get used to all the sh!t people talk, because all they see is I am 17 and have a seven string the first thing they think is "FLOGGER" but i showed them!!!